Convertible plow



(No Model.) 3Sheets---Sheet 1.

W. H. BETTER.-

CONVERTIBLE PLOW.

No. 276,674. v Pate ted May 1,1883.

u. PETERS, Ph oto-Ehho rapiwr. wuhin m. DJ;

(No Model.) 3 Shets--Sheet 2.

W. H. BETTER.

CONVERTIBLE PLOW.

No. 276,674. Patented May 1, 1883.

N PETERS. Photo-Lithograph". Washingon. D.C.

ihvrran STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

WILLIAM H. DETTEB, OF KENION, OHIO.

CONVERTIBLE PLOW.

SPECIFICATION formingypart of Letters Patent No. 276,674, dated May 1, 1883.

- Application filed August- 15, 1882. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. DET'IER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kenton, in the county of Hardin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Convertible Flows; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled .in.the .art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specificatron.

My invention relates to certain improvements in convertible plows; and it consists in the combination, with the carrying-frame, of an auxiliary removable frame, whereby the main carrying-frame may be employed for use as a cultivator or as a subsoil-plow and as a sulky or walking plow, as hereinafter fully described, and shown in the accompanying drawings, inwhich-,-

Figurel is a plan view of a convertible plow showing my improvements. Figs. 2' and 3 are detail views of parts ofthe main frame. Fig. at is a side elevation of the plow; Fig. 5, a perspective view of the auxiliary detachable subsoil-plow frame, showing one such plow attached thereto. Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the plow, and Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the detachable rear cross-girt of the main frame.

In the above figures of drawings like letters of reference indicate like parts.

In an application for patent now pending before the United States Patent Office 1 have shown and described a carrying-frame capable of being so adjusted as to adapt it for use with cultivators or with a subsoil-plow. It will therefore not be necessary to describe in detail in this application such parts of the frame as are removed when said frame is used in conjunction with an auxiliary subsoil-plow frame, and I will therefore limit the description of said frame to such parts as are necessary to the good operation of the machine when one ormore subsoil-plows are connected therewith.

A A are the carrying-wheels, the latter having an extended or prolonged square axle, a

upon which is mounted a crushing-roller, A

Figs. 1 and 4, when the subsoil plow or plows are used, and which roller is removed from the axle when the plow is used as a cultivator or with shovel-plows. The wheels A A are mounted on shortaxlesaa, respectivelyfiornied on bearings B B, that have each a short and a long extension, b b, respectively, provided with slots W, by means of which the frame may be adjusted either vertically or longitudinally, according to the position of said frame when the machine is used as a cultivator or a subsoil-plow.

The frame is composed of two side pieces,

F F, of the general form shown-that is to say, of the form of a rectangular triangle the hypotenuse of which is curved, as indicated in the drawings. I have adopted this form to provide the necessary bearing-surface for the journal-bearings B B. These sides pieces, F, of the frame are constructed to form recesses, as shown atf, and within the said recesses are pivoted the standards F, that are braced togather by a rear transverse girt,f. From the standards F extend arched braces f that serve to support the forward transverse girt f of the frame, and said transverse girts f f are further braced by bars or braces c, that, together with the arched braces f form bearings for a rock-shaft, It, hereinafter more fully described. WVhen the frame is made of metal, the standardsF, transverse girts f and f and the arched bracesf may all be cast in one piece, also the recessed side pieces, F, while the braces c, with the toothed sector 1, hereinafter described, are made separate and movable from the standards, which latter are detachably connected with the side pieces, F. In practice I prefer this method of construe tion, for the reason that the parts maybe made as light and much stronger than when such parts are made of wood. I do, however, not desire to limit myself to the use of metal only, as wood or wood and metal may be employed in the construction of the frame.

By means ot'bolts b which pass through the slots b in the bearings B B, and through the side piece, F, and uprights F, the wheel-bearings are rigidly connected with the side pieces, and their standards are pivotally connected therewith by one of said bolts 1;.

In the use of the frame in conjunction with ICO and wheel-bearings B B are adjusted to thehorizontal position shown in the drawings. The standards Fremain in their vertical position, bearing against the base of the side pieces, F, which prevents their tilting forward on their pivots, and they are prevented from tilting backward by means of a hand-lever, L, and the toothed sector I, and, if desired, by means of additional bolts The lever L is removably fitted into a socket, l, attached to the outer face of one of the side pieces, F. The toothed sector Zis bolted to the frontand rear transverse girts and the brace 0, thus rigidly connecting the frame with its pivotal supports.

In order to balance the frame and plow or plows and relieve the horses of the great part of the weight of the former, said frame may be moved from or toward the carrying-wheel, as vthe case may be, upon the bearings'B B, and secured in the desired position by means of the bolts W, as plainly shown in Fig. 4.. When i the frame is adjusted to the position described,

with the crushing-roller A mounted upon its bearing a the auxiliary frame, that carries the subsoil plow or plows P, may then be connected therewith, said auxiliary frame being constructed and connected with the main frame as follows: K is a rectangular frame, provided on opposite sides of its rear end with trunnions or short shafts k and on the upper face of its front and rear transverse girts, k with one or more bearings, W, for the reception of a rolling or oscillating shaft S, provided with bearings s, for the reception of the subsoil-plow beam 1), as plainly shown in Fig. 5. The plowbeamp carries a removable hand-lever, P, by means of which the plow may be rolled with the shaft S, for the purpose of setting it to the land in hillside or other plowing, and when properly set it is locked in that position by means of the toothed sectors 8. At or near the forward end the plow-frame K has hangers J pivoted thereto at one end. Theoppositeend of the hangers J is pivoted to depending ears j, attached to a rock-shaft, It, that has its bearings upon'the arched braces f This rockshaft R also carries a hand-lever, M, by means of which and the toothed sector N the forward end of the frame K may be raised or lowered, as required, to pass obstructions or increase or decrease the depth of the plowing.

It will be evident that the frame K may be pivoted at one end in the side pieces, F, by providing suitable bearings; but-I prefer to pivot said frame in'a separate brace or transverse girt, 0, to impart greater rigidity to the main frame when the subsoil-plow is employed. This detachable brace 0, Fig. 7, has bearing-blocks 0, for the reception of the journals 7c of the plow-frame K. It is connected to the side pieces, F, by inserting the rectangular projecting arms 0 0 of said brace 0 into the outer end of the recessesfof the side pieces, F, and securely bolting them thereto, so that the frame K is supported from said brace and the latter from the side pieces, F, as shown in Figs. 1,2, and 6.

Q is the drivers seat, attached to the rear transverse girt, f, upon that side of the toothed sector N nearest to the toothed sector I, so as to bring the hand-levers L M within easy reach of the driver.

When the rear brace, 0, with the plow-frame K, is attached to the main frame, as described, the forward part of said plow-frame is connected with the hangers J. The plow-beam is then secured upon the oscillating shaft S by means of the clevis U, that supports the collar V, and the plow adjusted to the proper inclination by means of the lever P and toothed sector 8, and to the proper elevation by means of the hand-lever M and toothed sectorN, when the plow is ready for operation.

In order to lighten the carrying-frame when used in conjunction with a subsoil plow or plows,Iso construct the sidepieces, F,thatsuitable bearings may be bolted thereto, in which the rock-shaft R is mounted, one of said bearings being provided with a toothed sector or segment, W, for locking the hand-lever M in proper position to regulate the depth the plow is to enter the soil by raising or lowering the forward end of the plow-frame K through the medium of the rock-shaft R, from which said forward end of the plow-frame is hung by rotating said shaft, as hereinbefore described.

In Fig. 3, I have shown a modification of this construction, wherein the rock-shaft R carries a toothed segment, R, that meshes with a like segment, 20, secured to one of the bearings for said rock-shaft, and whereby the latter may be tilted to raise or lower the forward end of the plow-frame. By means of this construction I am enabled to remove the standards F and all the parts connected therewith and mount the rock-shaft 1t directly upon the side pieces, F.

Having now described my invention, what I claim is 1. The combination, with the main frame, adjustable vertically and horizontally upon its carrying-wheels, and constructed as described, the rock-shaft R, hangers J, and cross-girl: O, of the subsoil-plow frame K, all constructed and arranged for co-operation substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. The combination, with the main frame, adjustable vertically and horizontally upon its wheel-bearings, the rock-shaft R, hangers J, and cross-girt O, of the subsoil-plow frame K, the toothed sector 8, and a subsoil-plow carrying a hand-lever adapted to engage said sector, all arranged and constructed for co-operation substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. The frame K, carrying oneor more oscillating shafts, S, and one or more toothed seetors, s, and a subsoil plow or plows carrying hand'levers P, in combination with the main carrying-frame, all constructed and arranged V 4. The combination of the main carryingframe provided with a toothed sector, the rockshaft R, carrying a hand-lever adapted to engage said toothed sector, and the auxiliary 5 frame K, pivoted at its rear end to the said main frame and hung at its forward end to the rockshaft, whereby said forward end may head- 1 A justed verticallyto regulate the depth the plow is to enter the soil and lock said frame into 10 position when adjusted, substantially as described.

5. The combination,with the side pieces, F, of the main frame provided with bearings, whereby the rock-shaft It may. be directly i 5 mounted thereon, and a toothed sector con- 6. The combination, with the side pieces, F, 20 of the main frame and the auxiliary frame K, of the detachable girt 0, all constructed substantially as and for the purposes specified.

7. The combination, with the recessed side pieces, F, and the removable lever L, of the 25 standards F, pivoted within the recess of the said side pieces, and the toothed sector 1, all constructed and arranged for cooperation substantially as and for the purposes specified.

1n. testimony whereof I affix my signature in 0 presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM H. BETTER.

nected with one of said bearings, of the auxil- Witnesses: iary frame K, all constructed and arranged for JOSEPH H. BROWN, a

co-operation substantially as and for the pur- J. C. BROWN.

poses specified. 

